HIS POSITION IN THE SILSILA: Ameer al-Momineen, Asadullahil Ghalib, Haidar-e-Karaar Hadrat Sayyiduna Ali al-Murtuda Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu are the second Imam of the Silsila Aaliyah Qaadiriyah Gaffaria
BLESSED NAME: His name is Ali and is known as Abu al-Hassan and Abu Turab and his titles are Murtuda, Asadullah and Haidar-e-Karraar.
HIS FATHER: His father was Abu Taalib and Grandfather were Abdul Mutallib. Abu Taalib is the uncle of the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam.
HIS MOTHER: His mother's name was Faatima bint Asad, bin Haashim, bin Abd Munaaf. Her Janazah was performed by Rasoolullah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam, and he gave his blessed Qamees (Kurta) to be used as her kaffan (shroud). He prepared her grave and first he himself laid down in her grave, so that it will be comfortable for her in the grave, and so that she may be adorned in the Garb of Jannat. [Noor al-Absaar]
HIS BIRTH: Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu was born on a Friday. Some narrations quote the date as the 13th of Muharram and others state the 13th of Rajab. His birth occurred 30 years after the incident of Feel. He was born inside the Holy Kaa'ba, and none has been blessed with this excellence before him. [Noor al-Absaar]
His mother said, “When he was born, he did not drink milk for three days, and this, caused great sadness in my home. This message reached Rasoolullah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam. The Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam arrived and took Sayyiduna Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu in his blessed arms and showed great love to him. He then placed his tongue in the mouth of Sayyiduna Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu and Hadrat Ali suckled on the tongue of the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam and thereafter started to drink milk.”
When Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu was five years old, the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam kept him at his blessed home and took care of him. He was thus groomed in the home of the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam until he was ten years old.
HE ACCEPTS ISLAM: Almighty Allah commanded the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam to propagate Islam amongst his family first and to correct their habits and behaviour. This, the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam did and he first invited to Islam, Bibi Khadija Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu. He also invited Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu who happily accepted Islam. He was the first amongst the youth (children) to accept Islam. [Ikmaal fi Asmaa ar-Rijaal]
Hadrat Ibn Abbas Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu reports that once Hadrat Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu were very ill. The Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam, Hadrat Abu Bakr and Hadrat Umar (radi Allahu anhum) came to visit the children. On leaving the Sahaba-e-Kiraam requested that Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu take some Nazr (vow) on behalf of the children. Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu, Bibi Faatima Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu and their female servant all took the vow to keep three fasts each, so that Almighty Allah may bless both the children with shifa. All three of them kept the first fast, but there was nothing in the house for Iftaar. Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu then bought three portions of flour on credit from a jew called Sham'oon. He gave one portion to Bibi Faatima Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu, who made five breads with the flour. As the time of Iftaar arrived, and they were about to eat, a beggar came to their door and said, “Salaam upon you O Ahle Bait of the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam. I am a poor Muslim from amongst the poor Muslims. Please feed me with something and Allah shall feed you from the bounties of Jannat.” When they heard this, all of them gave their bread to him, and they slept just by drinking water. The next day, they sat for Iftaar when they heard someone say, “I am an Orphan. Please assist me.” Again, all of them gave their share of food to him. This happened on the third day again, when a captive asked for food, they gave all their food to him. When morning came, Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu took Imam Hassan and Hussain (Radi Allahu Anhum) to visit the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam. When he saw how weak the children were, he went to Bibi Faatima Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu and saw that she too had become weak. This caused much sadness to the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam. It was then, that Hadrat Jibraeel Alaihis Salam descended with this verse of the Quran, “And they feed the poor, orphan and captive in His love.” [Masaalik as-Saalikeen, Vol 1, Page 145]
This verse of the Holy Quran was also revealed in praise of Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu, “Those who spend their wealth in charity during the night and the day, (both) discreetly and openly. For them, they have a generous reward by their Lord. They have no fear nor do they have any grief.”
Hadrat ibn Abbas Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu states that Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu had only four dirhams with him. He distributed one dirham as charity at night and one dirham in the day. He then gave one dirham discreetly and one dirham openly. It was on this, that the above mentioned verse of the Quran was revealed. [Masaalik as-Saalikeen, Vol 1 Page 147]
Hadrat Dharr bin Hubaish Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu reports that Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu said, “I swear in His Name who caused a tree to explode from a seedling and who created life, that the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam said to me, ‘O Ali! Only he shall have true love for you, who is a Momin and he who has enmity against you is a hypocrite.’” [Sahih al-Muslim]Hadrat Imraan bin Haseen Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu reports that the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam said, “Ali is mine and I am his, and he is the beloved of all the believers.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhi]
Hadrat Sahl ibn Saad Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu says, “On the day of Khaibar, the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam said, ‘Tomorrow I shall give this flag in the hand of that person, through whom Almighty Allah shall grant us victory. That person loves Allah and His Rasool SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam, and Allah and His Rasool SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam love him.’ When morning came, all the companions of the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam came into the court of the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam hoping that they would be the one who shall be chosen in whose hand the flag shall be given, but the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam asked, ‘Where is Ali bin Abi Taalib Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu?’ It was said that his eyes were sore through an infection. The Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam said, ‘Call him’ He was thus called and the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam put his blessed saliva into his eyes and they became well, as if they were never sore. He SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam then gave the flag in his hand.” [Sahih Bukhari - Sahih Muslim]
INCIDENTS RELATING TO HIS SHAHAADAT: The shahaadat of Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu was a very painful event in the history of Islam. Three Kharijies, Abdur Rahmaan bin Muljim, Bark bin Abdullah Tameemi and Amr bin Bukair Tameemi, planned to martyr Hadrat Ali, Hadrat Ameer Muawiyah and Hadrat Amr ibn al-A’as (Ridwaanullahi Ta'ala Alaihim Ajmaeen) on the same day. These traitors planned to attack these Sahaba Kiraam Ridwaanullahi Ta'ala Alaihim Ajmaeen) on the 17th of Ramadaan 40 Hijri. Bark went to Syria and attacked Hadrat Ameer Muawiyah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu who was only injured and was not martyred. Bark was captured. His hands and feet were cut off, and he was set free. Amr bin Bakeer went to Egypt to martyr Hadrat Amr ibn al-'Aas Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu. On that day, Hadrat Amr Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu was ill and he appointed Sahl Aamiri or Khaarija to perform the Namaaz. Thinking that he was Hadrat Amr Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu, Ibn Bukair attacked and killed him. He was captured and taken to Hadrat Amr Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu and was killed. Early that morning Hadrat Ali awoke and told Hadrat Imam Hussain Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu that he had seen the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam in his dream. He said, “I told the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam that I had attained no comfort from his Ummah. The Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam said that I should curse the tyrants, and I made this dua, ‘O Allah! Take me away from these people and put me amongst better people and put such a person in my place who will be very bad for them.”
Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu was still talking to Hadrat Imam Hasan Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu when the Muazzin announced the time for Salaah. Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu walked towards the Masjid for Salaah and as he entered the Masjid, Ibn Muljim the cursed came from behind a pillar and struck Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu on his blessed face, with a sword that was dipped in poison. The people in the Masjid arrested him and brought him before Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu. He said, “Imprison him, but make a soft bed for him and give him good food. If I survive, then I have the right to forgive him or avenge what he has done and if I pass away, then kill him also.”
Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu passed away on the 21st of Ramadan from the severe injury caused by the attack on him. He passed away at the age of 63.
HIS FINAL ADVICE: Before his wisaal, he called Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain (Radi Allahu Anhum) and said, “I advice you to remain pious and do not wish for the world even if it wishes for you. And if you lose any worldly belonging, then do not cry over it. Have mercy on the orphans, and help the weak.” He then turned to one of his sons, Hadrat Muhammad bin Hanafiyah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anhu and gave him the same advice. He then read the Kalima and his soul travelled from this mundane world in to the heights of the hereafter. Inna Lillaahi wa Inna Ilaihi Raaji'oon!!
